Pano roof and roof cross bars (merged threads)?
02-07-17, 01:02 PM
#91
The original post has been edited. This is the revised version. See my later post showing how I installed my Lexus cross bars.
Thank you very much for your post and photos. I bought a 2017 RX350 FSPORT with a pano roof only to discover Lexus won't install the cross bars (it's in a footnote in the brochure). I have looked at the rails on another 350 with the predrilled holes so I understand that part. Backing off or removing the screws on the cross bars so they can be mounted on my rails without holes means there is no extra safety grip that the screws would provide in the holes. As you say, without the screws they work as a "pinch" design which is what an aftermarket set must do. Here's my question for you -- Now that you have yours on for awhile, is the pinch tight enough to make sure the bars won't move or fly up and off? I intend to carry a 50 lb kayak (maybe two) on the racks so there will be both weight and aerodynamic forces at work. Yours is the best of all the posts for having good info and I hope you can go one more step to fill me in on your installation. Thank you very much. .PS. I have a coupon for 50% off Lexus parts so I can save a lot using their bars as opposed to $480 for Thule aftermarket which is my other option.
Thank you very much for your post and photos. I bought a 2017 RX350 FSPORT with a pano roof only to discover Lexus won't install the cross bars (it's in a footnote in the brochure). I have looked at the rails on another 350 with the predrilled holes so I understand that part. Backing off or removing the screws on the cross bars so they can be mounted on my rails without holes means there is no extra safety grip that the screws would provide in the holes. As you say, without the screws they work as a "pinch" design which is what an aftermarket set must do. Here's my question for you -- Now that you have yours on for awhile, is the pinch tight enough to make sure the bars won't move or fly up and off? I intend to carry a 50 lb kayak (maybe two) on the racks so there will be both weight and aerodynamic forces at work. Yours is the best of all the posts for having good info and I hope you can go one more step to fill me in on your installation. Thank you very much. .PS. I have a coupon for 50% off Lexus parts so I can save a lot using their bars as opposed to $480 for Thule aftermarket which is my other option.
Last edited by TopDog; 03-28-17 at 06:33 PM. Reason: delete redundant photos
02-15-17, 10:01 AM
#92
Re: Daffydd's post on 9-11-16. I thought about this because I own a pano roof 2017 rx350 fsport and will be installing cross bars. IF the bars deflected enough to touch the glass, they would deflect enough to touch the roof on a non pano roof 350. The pano glass is the same height on the roof that a regular metal roof would be. It makes no sense that any bar would deflect that much under a normal load. I have cross bars on my Highlander and have carried a 50lb kayak, and also a 28 ft. aluminum ladder. Those bars don't deflect. I don't buy what you were told about deflection. Naturally, you can't open the moonroof with cross bars, but that is so obvious it hardly bears saying.
Last edited by TopDog; 02-15-17 at 10:03 AM. Reason: clarification
02-15-17, 12:28 PM
#93
Re: Daffydd's post on 9-11-16. I thought about this because I own a pano roof 2017 rx350 fsport and will be installing cross bars. IF the bars deflected enough to touch the glass, they would deflect enough to touch the roof on a non pano roof 350. The pano glass is the same height on the roof that a regular metal roof would be. It makes no sense that any bar would deflect that much under a normal load. I have cross bars on my Highlander and have carried a 50lb kayak, and also a 28 ft. aluminum ladder. Those bars don't deflect. I don't buy what you were told about deflection. Naturally, you can't open the moonroof with cross bars, but that is so obvious it hardly bears saying.
That's on the one hand. On the other hand, we see testimonials and photographs, including one from "bhilton5" in post #49, which purport to show that the cross bars work on an RX350. bhilton5 reported that he bought his OEM roof rack from ebay. However, I just checked ebay, and there are just two OEM RX350 roof racks (PT278-48160) listed. One has a note "WITHOUT PANORAMIC GLASS ROOF" and a photo showing the roof rack installed on a vehicle with the regular sunroof. The other listing has no such note, but its photo also shows a regular sunroof. What are we to conclude from that?
Furthermore, I was at my dealer a week ago for my first service. Parked outside was a '16 or '17 RX350 with a pano roof and a roof rack. The roof rack had no brand identification, so I asked an employee what brand it was. "I think it's Lexus." "What about the earlier statement that the Lexus roof rack is incompatible with the panoramic sunroof?" "I don't know." Perhaps the rack I saw is new in the eight months since I bought my RX350? Or perhaps it's not from Toyota/Lexus? I'm a very skeptical person, but seeing a dealer-installed roof rack on an RX350 with panoramic sunroof with my own two eyes is hard to deny—if it's OEM. I did not learn whether the pano roof could be opened (looked like it would open, at least without a load). The latter point is moot, I think, because wind noise will discourage most users from opening the roof with cross bars installed. My roof opens just fine with the Thule bars, but I haven't put a cargo pod on it yet. That, too, is moot, because I rarely open my roof and I wouldn't pay 50¢ for a sunroof if I could buy my options cafeteria-style.
I can draw no conclusion from the above as to whether Lexus OEM cross bars are suitable or not. Some users say yes, and present photographic evidence. Lexus said no, and refused to install them for me. One ebay seller says no. I can't be certain what brand I saw at the Lexus dealer.
Opinion: the cross bars that I saw at the dealership are less unattractive than my Thule model. But none that I have seen on any vehicle could be called attractive, IMO.
Finally, the irony: I don't need the crossbars. A friend and his wife from the UK were planning to come over in August for the solar eclipse. We were going to drive from my home in Maryland to the Nashville area with telescopes, mounts, cameras, laptops, and luggage for four. Now it turns out that he can't come and my wife can't accompany me, either, due to her 93-y.o. mother having become more and more infirm. So I'm making the trip solo and I have plenty of room for my kit without a rooftop cargo pod. That's life.
Last edited by daffydd; 03-03-17 at 06:56 PM.
03-03-17, 05:54 PM
#94
Roof rack installed on Panoramic roof 2017 RX350 Fsport
Phooey to Lexus. Go to this YouTube video to see a detailed illustration of how to install Lexus OEM cross bars on a 2017 RX350 with a panoramic roof. Updated video 3-28-17.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIJ4HsTmRD4&feature=youtu.be
You can install Lexus roof rack cross bars on a 2017 RX350 with a panoramic roof if you are a decent handy person with the right tools. You will NOT be able to open the roof if you do. To make sure you don't, you can remove the 20 amp fuse from the fuse box in the left front of the engine compartment. The lid has the fuse positions labeled. (Removing the fuse also disables the sunscreen, so you cannot slide it back just to look out the top.) Or, you can tape over the switch inside.
I bought a set of Lexus cross bars. I downloaded the instructions from the internet when the ones from the dealer did not print well. There is also a visual set of directions with the cross bars that is probably adequate. I posted the YouTube photo/slide show that illustrates everything required. Use the link above or search for 2017 Lexus RX350 FSport roof rack cross bar installation.
The problem with using the Lexus cross bars on a pano roof is that there are no predrilled holes on the insides of the side rails for the pins on the inside grippers to fit into. That leaves you with one of two options.
1. Back out the pins on the gripper with a torx bit (its not a phillips or flat head or bolt head). The pins are a little tight with some fastening glue, but a ratchet gives you enough leverage if a screwdriver doesn't. With the pins backed out, the rubber pads will then contact the inside of the rail, otherwise only the pins will touch it.
2. Mark the insides of the rails where the pins will hit when you install the cross bars and then drill the holes you need (4 x 2). You can back the pins all the way out of the inside grippers, tape the inside of the side rail with masking tape, mount the cross bar in position, snug the cross bars up, put a pencil through each gripper hole and mark the spots to drill. Drilling is tricky because the inside of the rail slopes downward, the pins fit a little below center, and drilling into slanted aluminum is slippery and the bit will slide away. The masking tape helps hold the bit a little as will using a metal punch to make a dent (protect the roof !). You have to drill the holes deep enough and large enough for the pins with just a little extra because you won't get them measured exactly. You also must put a heavy protective mat or covering on the roof and glass to keep the drill from contacting the top of the car. The angle you are working at necessitates having the side of the drill pushed down to the roof.
I opted for drilling holes because I wanted the security of knowing that the inside gripper would not slide and since Lexus designed it for holes, I made the holes. I drilled a small pilot hole first, then followed with a larger 1/4 " bit. I drilled through the inside aluminum to the hollow of the side rail, then put a piece of black electrical tape over the hole to seal it when the pin went in.
I positioned the rear rail to be about 5" back from the end of the panoramic glass section, just forward of the shark fin antenna. I carry a kayak and wanted the maximum distance I could get which was about 45".
I initially positioned the front cross bar about 9" ahead of the back of the glass section that opens (more or less above the rear of the front side window as shown in the photo without a kayak carrier). This turned out to create too much wind noise. I moved it back so that its center was 31" forward of the center of the rear cross bar (see photos that have kayak carrier on the cross bars). When I did so, I did not drill another set of holes, but backed the pins off and let the rubber bumpers grab the inside of the side rail. (Lexus mounts the cross bars closer together like my final result.) The distances they use for the pre-drilled holes on a non Pano roof (as measured from the front edge of the side rail to the first pin's hole) are: 8" 23" 36" 47" (Go to a Lexus dealer and look where the predrilled holes are.)
Be sure to put the rail marked "Front" in the front and to face each bar forward as marked on the bars. That's hard to miss, but it can happen.
My installation turned out fine after I located the front cross bar more toward the center of the car. I tested it by driving with my 50lb kayak for 100 miles at 65 mph. The Lexus bars hold 176 pounds which is more than most aftermarket bars are rated for. So if you want the Lexus cross bars ($299 local dealer) instead of aftermarket bars ($450 -$480), and you are handy and patient, and don't care about losing the use of the panoramic roof you can do it. Lexus won't.
Don't forget to disable the roof switch with tape or removing the fuse. If you remove the fuse, you also loose the ability to open the shade on the interior as well as the glass itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIJ4HsTmRD4&feature=youtu.be
You can install Lexus roof rack cross bars on a 2017 RX350 with a panoramic roof if you are a decent handy person with the right tools. You will NOT be able to open the roof if you do. To make sure you don't, you can remove the 20 amp fuse from the fuse box in the left front of the engine compartment. The lid has the fuse positions labeled. (Removing the fuse also disables the sunscreen, so you cannot slide it back just to look out the top.) Or, you can tape over the switch inside.
I bought a set of Lexus cross bars. I downloaded the instructions from the internet when the ones from the dealer did not print well. There is also a visual set of directions with the cross bars that is probably adequate. I posted the YouTube photo/slide show that illustrates everything required. Use the link above or search for 2017 Lexus RX350 FSport roof rack cross bar installation.
The problem with using the Lexus cross bars on a pano roof is that there are no predrilled holes on the insides of the side rails for the pins on the inside grippers to fit into. That leaves you with one of two options.
1. Back out the pins on the gripper with a torx bit (its not a phillips or flat head or bolt head). The pins are a little tight with some fastening glue, but a ratchet gives you enough leverage if a screwdriver doesn't. With the pins backed out, the rubber pads will then contact the inside of the rail, otherwise only the pins will touch it.
2. Mark the insides of the rails where the pins will hit when you install the cross bars and then drill the holes you need (4 x 2). You can back the pins all the way out of the inside grippers, tape the inside of the side rail with masking tape, mount the cross bar in position, snug the cross bars up, put a pencil through each gripper hole and mark the spots to drill. Drilling is tricky because the inside of the rail slopes downward, the pins fit a little below center, and drilling into slanted aluminum is slippery and the bit will slide away. The masking tape helps hold the bit a little as will using a metal punch to make a dent (protect the roof !). You have to drill the holes deep enough and large enough for the pins with just a little extra because you won't get them measured exactly. You also must put a heavy protective mat or covering on the roof and glass to keep the drill from contacting the top of the car. The angle you are working at necessitates having the side of the drill pushed down to the roof.
I opted for drilling holes because I wanted the security of knowing that the inside gripper would not slide and since Lexus designed it for holes, I made the holes. I drilled a small pilot hole first, then followed with a larger 1/4 " bit. I drilled through the inside aluminum to the hollow of the side rail, then put a piece of black electrical tape over the hole to seal it when the pin went in.
I positioned the rear rail to be about 5" back from the end of the panoramic glass section, just forward of the shark fin antenna. I carry a kayak and wanted the maximum distance I could get which was about 45".
I initially positioned the front cross bar about 9" ahead of the back of the glass section that opens (more or less above the rear of the front side window as shown in the photo without a kayak carrier). This turned out to create too much wind noise. I moved it back so that its center was 31" forward of the center of the rear cross bar (see photos that have kayak carrier on the cross bars). When I did so, I did not drill another set of holes, but backed the pins off and let the rubber bumpers grab the inside of the side rail. (Lexus mounts the cross bars closer together like my final result.) The distances they use for the pre-drilled holes on a non Pano roof (as measured from the front edge of the side rail to the first pin's hole) are: 8" 23" 36" 47" (Go to a Lexus dealer and look where the predrilled holes are.)
Be sure to put the rail marked "Front" in the front and to face each bar forward as marked on the bars. That's hard to miss, but it can happen.
My installation turned out fine after I located the front cross bar more toward the center of the car. I tested it by driving with my 50lb kayak for 100 miles at 65 mph. The Lexus bars hold 176 pounds which is more than most aftermarket bars are rated for. So if you want the Lexus cross bars ($299 local dealer) instead of aftermarket bars ($450 -$480), and you are handy and patient, and don't care about losing the use of the panoramic roof you can do it. Lexus won't.
Don't forget to disable the roof switch with tape or removing the fuse. If you remove the fuse, you also loose the ability to open the shade on the interior as well as the glass itself.
Last edited by TopDog; 03-28-17 at 06:26 PM. Reason: More information
04-02-17, 06:41 AM
#95
Driver School Candidate
cross bars
Hello fellow Lexusians
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails anyway
Thanks
Herman
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails anyway
Thanks
Herman
04-07-17, 07:49 AM
#96
Driver School Candidate
Hauling my kayak
Hello fellow Lexusians
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of the cost of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails to be so flush anyway
Thanks
Herman
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of the cost of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails to be so flush anyway
Thanks
Herman
04-07-17, 08:38 AM
#97
Pole Position
Hello fellow Lexusians
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of the cost of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails to be so flush anyway
Thanks
Herman
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of the cost of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails to be so flush anyway
Thanks
Herman
Plus, Lexus wants to sell it's hardware for these rails
04-07-17, 12:45 PM
#98
Hello fellow Lexusians
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of the cost of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails to be so flush anyway
Thanks
Herman
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of the cost of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails to be so flush anyway
Thanks
Herman
Yes, THULE has nice cross bars that are custom made for our cars. Or Universal (460R feet) with custom fit kits.
The following users liked this post:
giosif (04-14-17)
04-10-17, 07:05 AM
#99
Driver School Candidate
Hello fellow Lexusians
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of the cost of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails to be so flush anyway
Thanks
Herman
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of the cost of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails to be so flush anyway
Thanks
Herman
The following users liked this post:
giosif (04-14-17)
04-12-17, 02:59 PM
#100
Driver School Candidate
Hello fellow Lexusians
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails anyway
Thanks
Herman
I have just bought a 2017 RX 350 with panoramic sunroof
My previous RX 350 2010 had nicely raised rails that allowed me to use Malone cross bars at a fraction of Thule brands and carry my kayak
Of course I never even thought of opening the sunroof when hauling the kayak and will not try it with the new vehicle either
Is there any other manufacturer making cross bars that would attach to the rails of the current 2017 RX 350 ?
I wonder why they had to flatten the design of those rails anyway
Thanks
Herman
04-14-17, 03:47 PM
#101
Driver School Candidate
Where can I find or order the custom fit kits for Universal 46' bars
also for ifanchu ? what is the height between the roof of the car with sunroof closed and bottom of each cross bar on the Thule system
? has anybody carried a Kayak [with sunroof closed of course
TY all
also for ifanchu ? what is the height between the roof of the car with sunroof closed and bottom of each cross bar on the Thule system
? has anybody carried a Kayak [with sunroof closed of course
TY all
04-18-17, 07:35 AM
#102
Driver School Candidate
04-24-17, 01:12 PM
#103
Driver School Candidate
Thule Crossbars and Pano Roof
I have not bought the vehicle yet, and could go with one with the regular moon roof (I don't really care about the pano roof) but it has no heads up display, which is something I really liked.
ANY MORE COMMENTS ON THIS?
Thanks.
04-24-17, 03:03 PM
#104
Driver School Candidate
I have the RX 350 with pano roof but have not yet decided on the racks
I have a set of Malone cross bars from my previous RX 350 2010 and they may do but I have to try them on the flush rails yet
I will post results after I do [away from home x 10 days]
Cheers
Herman
I have a set of Malone cross bars from my previous RX 350 2010 and they may do but I have to try them on the flush rails yet
I will post results after I do [away from home x 10 days]
Cheers
Herman
05-06-17, 02:49 PM
#105
Driver School Candidate
Confirm: Thule 460R + 4072 + ARB47 Works
I called an online vendor (Auto Anything) and they said they have customers that have installed these on RX 350's with the pano roof without problems.
I have not bought the vehicle yet, and could go with one with the regular moon roof (I don't really care about the pano roof) but it has no heads up display, which is something I really liked.
ANY MORE COMMENTS ON THIS?
Thanks.
I have not bought the vehicle yet, and could go with one with the regular moon roof (I don't really care about the pano roof) but it has no heads up display, which is something I really liked.
ANY MORE COMMENTS ON THIS?
Thanks.
